Pawlenty goes to Nevada

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) is heading to another key primary state.

Pawlenty will headline a Nevada Republican Lincoln Day Dinner on Feb. 27 at the Venetian in Las Vegas.

Nevada is one of four states -- along with New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina -- that is slated to hold its primary before the rest of the country.

In announcing his visit, Pawlenty took the chance to dig at his potential 2012 opponent, President Obama, who recently took heat for saying people shouldn't "blow a bunch of cash in Vegas" if they are saving for college.

"I'm defying President Obama’s orders and going to Las Vegas in order to help the Nevada GOP," Pawlenty said. "Our goal is to replace Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid with a Senator who values the needs of Nevadans more than the partisan interests of his political party."